The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-12-15
faYorable to the Democratic party Dian

| election results. r(IdInelu CdfIl6I Int
state by a majority of 7S,05y, and in
1885 Larabee carried the State against
a combined opposition by majority oi
6 $40, and this year, had the opposition
been combined he would have had less
than 5000 majority. The Democrats
made the fight in Iowa, largely upon
the question of revenue reform.
Second, so far as the labOrers are con
cerned, what has been the effect of the
duty, that this enormous artificial gain
OF profit Just referred to, redounded
wholly to the benefit of the laDorers, is
clearly shown by the census reports
In 1870 the average annual wages paid
to the labOrers in the iron and steel in.
dustries of all kinds was $45426, and
during the year 1870, the tariff on steel
rails was doubled. After ten years OF
this high tariff, the average wages, ac-
cording to the census reports Of 1880
| was only S393.51, a decline of $6U.75, OIL
1874 per cent, and in 1884, according to
Bradstreet thele was a further decline
of 20 per cent. making total OF de.
clines since 1870 of 80 "a per cent. And
yet this steel rail monopoly, this
association of eleven companies made
a close corporation by paying so much
money per ton into jock pot, and in
1878 they paid one of their number,
the Vulcan steel rail rolling mills of
st. Louis, $4,000 for stopping work
and dlscharging their hands, so as to
restrict the production and thus keep
up prices, while the tariff had been
growing all this time more and more
protective.
According to Senator Beck, in 1881
only $40 per cent. of the value of
the products of the Bessemer steel in
dustries went to the laborers employed,
while 66 $40 per cent. went to the CAPT
talists as profits. And yet 1t is sad
that if we propose to reduce the tariff
protection this combination receives,
that we strike blow at the laborer.
But may we not well say that SO far as
its laborerS are concerned, protection as
we now have it is a swindle, snare
and q curse. 1t has created during the
last twenty years the greatest Plutec-
racy that the world has ever seen. Un-
der its operation the rich have grown
richer and the poor poorer.
This duty on steel rails enabled a
subject Of the Queen of Great Britain,
who never gave up his allegiance to the
Queen. and whose proudest boast was
that he was not an American citizen.
and who located in Pittsburg and Went
into the manufacture of steel rails,
although he did not own tie entire
works, he drew out of the establishment
during a period of three hundred days,
profits amounting to 5000 / er. day, or
81 100000 in one year AndyeC these are
the very same men who will be at the
head of the opposition to the reelection
of President Cleveland, and who give
expression to these most gloomy fore
bodings of evil, and prophesy that
nothing but ruin awaits them If this
tariff be touched.
There is yet another class OF duties to
which desire to call your attention;
not that | intend to go into the ques-
ton in all its details, but only for the
purpose of bringing the subject to your
attention. Namely, the duty on lum-
Der.
The duty on lumber is indefensible
and inexcusable from any point OF
view that we may look at it, Whether
you consider climatic consideration or
whether you look at it from the point
of view of the free trader it makes no
difference That the denuding OF our
forests has great influence OH our eli
mate is no longer doubted. From this
consideration alone the offering of a
bounty for this taking away of our for
ests is wholly indefensible. But do
not propose to discuss this view of the
question.
The duty of two dollars per thousand
on rough lumber either does or does
not increase the price of lumber to the
consumer. If it does not, then there
can be no valid objection to the repeal
of the duty, as the government is al
ready collecting more than SiOO,OOO,OOO
a year more than it needs to pay its
legitimate expenses. If it does, then
the duty is a grievouS burden on the
mass of the people. That this duty
does increase the price of lumber ad-
mits of no donbt. for careful cOmpar-
ison of prices clearly shows it. During
the last year there has been consumed
in the city of Canton alone, according
to the best estimates given ne by the
various lumber dealers and contractors,
about 100000 feet. If the
effect of the tariff has been to increase
the price in lumber to the full extent
of the duty, then the people of Canton
have paid $4,000 more for their lum
Der this year than they ought to have
paid. This is $3.50 for every man,
woman and child in this city That
money would have bought pair of
shoes for every man woman and child
N this city; or it would have built
nearly 100 homes for the families of
nearly 100 wOrkmen: or it would have
Quilt sewer system, that might i'll the
end save the lives of hundreds of our
citizens: OF the $4,000 taken each year
out of the city might be the means OF
bringing new industries, which would
n turn give employment to hundreds
If workmen, as has already been done
n bringing the Deuber Works to our
,ity; or at any rate, had this money
1een left in the pockets Of the people,
where it rightly belongs, they would
nave had that much more to spend for
he support of themselvse and their
families; or look at it from another point
n view, what kind of justice is it for
The government of the United States to
ay a tax to the effect of which is to
Jake $4,000 by the way of enhanced
prices for lumber alone, each year out
IF the pockets Of the people of Canton,
10 pour it into the pockets of the lum
Der lords of Michigan and Wisconsin?
What sort of Justice is it to take money
BY law-by dimes and dollars, out of
5he pockets of the many, to place inthe
pockets OF the few? The Supreme
Court of the United States, in the cele-
Drated Topeka case, reported in the 20 |
Wallace, pages 665 and $685. says, ITO
lay with one hand the power of the
government on the property of the cit
Izens, and with the other bestOw 1t UP
On favored individuals, to aid private
and build up private for,
tunes is nonethe less robbery, because it